Episode 203: Green Roofs

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We take for granted that plants grow beneath our feet. But what about plants that grow over our heads? Green roofs were once a novelty. Today, they are gaining popularity thanks to their ability to capture runoff and keep it from polluting beaches and bays, to moderate temperatures inside the buildings they top, reduce atmospheric heating, and offer a beautiful, interesting, even healing alternative to an expanse of glaring, bare rooftop. We visit green roofs large and small, across the county, in commercial settings, a hospital, private home and even a green roof that is part of an art installation on a university campus.

Green roofs at the San Diego Botanic Garden

Escondido’s Palomar Hospital and it’s 1.5 acre green roof

A residential green roof in Del Mar demonstrates how a green roof is constructed

NOAA Sustainable Fisheries building on the campus of the University of California San Diego features seven green roofs

Fallen Star, a rooftop art installation by artist Do Ho Suh that includes a rooftop garden